


Linger

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode: s01e04 Five Votes Down, F/M, Missing Scene, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-09
Updated: 2008-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-31 07:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15114518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: Her perfume lingered in the air after every move, not heavy but like a pleasant memory of the senses.





	Linger

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: I wrote this for tww_minis May prompt of everything but the kiss. This story was entirely inspired by CJ/Leo icons by laharah.  


* * *

It was late when Leo ambled out of the Roosevelt Room and across the hall to his office. Instead of just going home, he sat down in his chair. They went from having the gun law passed to being five votes down. There was nothing else to do tonight. He should just go home; Jenny was expecting him. She was no doubt asleep…maybe didn’t notice he was not beside her. 

Much of his time and energy was focused on the West Wing. Tonight was supposed to be cause for celebration. Leo was sure they would emerge victorious in this battle; even if the Chief of Staff pulled cards he hated to use right now. He needed some semblance of sleep for the strength to fight another long day. The false effect from the Coke only lasted for so long.

Leo leaned back, closing his eyes. Focusing on how terrific they were tonight would mellow his mood. Toby and Sam wrote a magnificent speech that the President brought to full life. Josh sprang right into action when he got news about the vote. CJ wore a black and white halter dress…whoa, whoa, whoa, that was not the image that was supposed to come to mind. _Go away or I'm never going to come down_ , Leo told his one-track mind.

She looked breathtaking; he had to leave the room more than once to keep his mind on the speech. Gliding through the usual throngs of press, CJ did her job with the perfect combination of professionalism and cheeky sexiness. Her perfume lingered in the air after every move, not heavy but like a pleasant memory to the senses. Initially shocked over the vote count, she immediately turned it into determination. CJ jumped right into the rumble with her boys, dress and all.

She saved a Coke for him, knowing that beer was not his thing. He remembered the way she smiled while handing it off. She called him Leopold and though he still didn’t know where that came from, it always made him grin like a teenage boy. Leo McGarry sat in the Roosevelt Room tonight eating, strategizing, and fantasizing about CJ Cregg.

Her body was long and lean, her arms quick to wrap the right person in a hug. He never seemed to be that person. She looked amazing in everything but in a party dress the woman stole the show. Her back came out to play tonight, distracting the White House Chief of Staff in a way he’d forgotten was possible. Her skin was warm and fragrant. He didn’t feel bad about the few touches he snuck over the course of their very long night. Shameless, yes, but Leo conceded that some time ago.

Her breasts, small but pert and playful, shone through in her dress choice. She was sexy and most of the time Leo was so wrapped in her cocoon he could not figure out if she knew that or was oblivious to the command she held over him and everyone else in the room. Never had a woman’s neck figured so prominently in a fantasy. Long and graceful, her perfume nearly drove him out of his mind. He wanted to kiss her neck, taste it, stroke it, and mark it as his own. He wanted to wrap his arms around it, unsnapping her dress so the real fun could begin.

CJ showed up in his fantasies naked on the semi-regular basis. He imagined what her skin felt like on his fingers and against his mouth. Was she playful in bed or all business? Did she sigh or giggle when being kissed and caressed? Could she surrender and let him wholly possess her for a few magical moments? Would she turn the tables and instead possess him? Was she a talker, biter, scratcher, grabber, or screamer? Perhaps a heady combination of all five. Had she faked so many orgasms in the past that she’d forgotten what a real one felt like? Leo could remind her, again and again and again.

Oh yeah right. CJ would laugh in his face if he ever drummed up the guts to attempt an approach. He remembered a time when he could woo a woman with his smile and charm. Leo McGarry was a very charming man. He actually used to wow the opposite sex, at least back when he was in the game. Wowing a woman in the 60s was infinitely different from doing so now. CJ Cregg was out of his league…he was not even in the same ballpark.

Nothing would happen between him and the beautiful Press Secretary. He was a married man, firstly and most important. Secondly, he was too old for her. Thirdly, wooing a member of his staff was a very, very bad idea. Leo knew there was a variety of fraternization amongst White House staffers. Many knew each other before the campaign and for the past two years were in constant company. The Chief of Staff turned a mostly blind eye to it… they were grownups and knew their priorities.

Alright, that was it; he had to go home. Jenny would be pissed. She had been for some time and the situation was nearing detonation. Leo McGarry was at a crossroads; he’d been there before. The fact that he fantasized about another woman should have been an indication something was wrong. No, not this woman; anyone with a pulse imagined doing dirty things to Claudia Jean Cregg. Ooh, Claudia Jean Cregg doing dirty things to him…OK, he was going straight to hell. He was probably not taking the journey alone.

Leo sighed, finally getting up from the chair. He put his trench coat over his arm and grabbed his briefcase; letting thoughts of goose down pillows and the possibility of sweet dreams guide his feet toward the outer office and the hallway. He was not paying attention to where he was walking. Leo was still somewhere between fantasy and reality. Running into the side of someone brought him back to life. His briefcase and coat hit the carpet hard, as did the shoes she carried in her hand.

“Damn!”

CJ grabbed hold of the arms that circled her waist. The world was spinning, moving in slow motions as they held on tight and tried to remain on their feet. Almost by instinct, Leo pulled her tighter against him. If they fell he should be the more injured party. He let the scent of her exposed skin, and there was plenty of it, intoxicate him as she curled in close. They were finally steady but made no effort to let go.

“Leopold.” She barely whispered his name and somehow he knew there was something different.

Her arms circled his neck, eyes closed and lips slightly parted. He was going to wake up in a few moments…this was nothing but a dream. Was she giving him silent permission to venture where he desperately wanted to go? Was it really possible that they both wanted this? Leo was too afraid to ask, almost too afraid to move. He tilted his chin upward and their noses brushed.

“Claudia Jean!”

The White House Chief of Staff jumped a mile. In seconds they were back in the real world and out of each other’s arms.

“Yeah?”

She did not turn in the direction of the intrusive voice, already knowing who it was. Instead she watched as Leo bent to gather his coat, briefcase, and her heels. Their hands touched as the shoes were returned…Leo knew he was not alone feeling the electrical current. It was more than that even; there were probably singe marks on his fingers.

“Come back to the office for a while. We should go over all of this before morning.”

“I’ll be right there, Toby.”

“That was my fault.” Leo said. “I guess my mind wasn’t on where I was walking.”

“I'm surprised your mind is anywhere after two in the morning.” she stroked his cheek. “Thanks for the save, boss. I owe you one.”

“You're welcome. Tonight you looked…” Leo rethought his words before abandoning them altogether. “Goodnight Claudia Jean.”

“Goodnight.”

The Press Secretary sighed, turning to walk away. Much to her chagrin, Toby was still standing there. She started swinging her Jimmy Choo heels by their straps and turned to steal another glance at Leo. Caught enjoying the view, he could only grin before getting out of there. He felt the thin ice crack beneath his feet with every step.

***


End file.
